July 04, 2012

Got Milk ?

Remember in the movie, "The Sixth Sense," when Cole (Haley Joel Osment) said to Dr. Crowe (Bruce Willis), "I see dead people ?"

Well for me, "I see lesson plans."

Every day of my life, there is always something that triggers 'that teachable moment' in my head, and a lesson plan begins to form.

Yesterday one of my former 5th/6th grade students from Brantly Elementary in Antlers, 'Okrahoma,' posted this on my Facebook Wall. (She was in my class several decades ago.)

But, before you see it, let me tell you how happy it made me to have Marcy even remember that I WAS her English teacher . . .much less, that I was pretty much a stickler with everything from neat handwriting to correct grammar to correct punctuation to correct spelling to . . . !

This is what appeared:

I must admit, it hurt when ice cold water blew out my nose while reading this. Thanks Marcy for helping to clear out my nasal passages.

But, as mentioned earlier, a lesson plan just started forming in my head when I saw this cartoon.

Actually, I already had a lesson plan for this particular subject. GOT !

So, I went to my files downstairs, in a closet that has my school-teacher-life stored in it, and found the assignment.

By the way, that closet that I mention . . . drives AnodeMan straight up the wall. It is so jammed-crammed full of school records, the door hardly opens. It is organized though. Finding this particular assignment from years ago should prove that. So, AnodeMan, just get over it. Someday I'll come to terms with my hoarding obssesion and get rid of everything in that closet. But not today ! Who knows . . . maybe I will end up in a classroom again !

Here's the assignment:

GOT is a Dead Word

Objective: To limit the use of the word "got" and replace it with different vocabulary words.

Directions: Copy the following sentences and replace the word GOT with a different word or words. (Remember: Gotta is NOT a word !)

1. I got nervous when it was time to give my speech.

2. I got an award from my teacher.

3. I got the chicken pox.

4. I got to go to the restroom.

5. I got an A in English.

6. I got Mom a birthday gift.

7. I got to go to the party.

8. I got a feeling we will have homework.

9. I got into an argument with my sister.

10. I ain't got no pencil.

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In reference to sentence #10 . . . this was something I heard many times in my classroom.

Here is a conversation that really-truly happened one day:

Casey: Mrs. Winters, I ain't got no pencil.

Me: Casey, I don't have a pencil.

Casey: You ain't got no pencil either ?

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Now, back to the assignment. I do remember how creative my students were when they re-wrote the sentences. Most of them not only replaced 'got' with other words, but they added to the sentences to make them livelier. (Especially sentence #4)

Just for fun, think about how you would change these sentences.

You are even welcome to post your assignment on the comment page here or on Facebook.

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Comments

1) I became nervous when it was time to give my speech
2) I received an award from Mrs Winters for completing an assignment at age 37, while on vacation
3) Shit, what are all of these red bumps?
4) May I use the restroom? Please
5) I earned an A in English.
6) Birthday gifts become more expensive each year.
7) Let's drive to Ramona and see if we can buy some Keystone Light for tonight's party.
8) You are correct.
9) I have a feeling that Leigh Ann rarely loses an argument.
10) Use your iPad instead.

1. I became nervous when it was time to give my speech.
2. I received an award from my teacher.
3. I contracted the chicken pox.
4. I need to pee.
5. I earned an A in English.
6. I purchased Mom a birthday gift.
7. I was forced to go to the party.
8. I predict we will have homework.
9. I argued with my sister.
10. I do not have a pencil.